Preparing for 2012:
Technology Transfer and
Innovation
Ahmed Abdel Latif
Senior Programme Manager
Innovation, Technology and Intellectual Property
WTO Public Forum- 21 September 2011
International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development
www.ictsd.org
Technology : key for the transition to a green economy
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The Rio Earth Summit (1992) and Technology Transfer
UNFCCC Technology
Mechanism (2010)
Implementation
Technology
Transfer
Provisions in
MEAs
Agenda 21
(Chapter 34)
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Some Highlights of Chapter 34 on Transfer of ESTs
•
Formulation of policies and programmes for the effective transfer of ESTs that
are publicly owned or in the public domain;
•
Purchase of patents and licenses on commercial terms for their transfer to
developing countries on non-commercial terms, taking into account the need
to protect intellectual property rights;
•
In compliance with and under the specific circumstances recognized by the
relevant international conventions adhered to by States, the undertaking of
measures to prevent the abuse of intellectual property rights, including rules
with respect to their acquisition through compulsory licensing, with the
provision of equitable and adequate compensation;
•
Provision of financial resources to acquire ESTS in order to enable in particular
developing countries to implement measures to promote sustainable
development that would entail a special or abnormal burden to them;
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Innovation tops policy agenda
G 8 Declaration
(2011)
Obama State of the
Union Speech
(2011)
China’s Indigenous
Innovation Policy
Innovation
OECD
Innovation Strategy
(2010)
India’s Decade of
Innovation
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Green innovation tops innovation agenda
India Solar
Plan
US
“sputnik”
moment
China Five
Year plan
Green
Innovation
Korea
UAE
OECD
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Innovation and UNFCCC Technology Mechanism
Priority Areas:
Strengthening of
national systems
of innovation and
technology
innovation
centers
Technology
Mechanism
Aim: to accelerate the innovation
and diffusion of ESTs and stimulate
cooperative research and
development
Technology Executive
Committee
Climate Technology
Centre and Network
Special consideration to LDCs
Facilitate networks and
international partnerships to
accelerate the innovation and
diffusion of ESTs
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Changing global technology and innovation landscape:
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Greater empirical evidence available
•
Technology diffusion through:
– FDI
– Trade
•
Trade flow of environmental goods and services
– Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
•
Evidence about role of CDM projects in technology
transfer
– IPRs
•
Patenting trends (patent landscapes)
•
Licensing practices (surveys)
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Empirical evidence:
UNEP-EPO-ICTSD Project on Patents and Clean Energy
1.
Partners: UNEP and European Patent Office (EPO)
2.
Expert entities involved in data gathering and analysis:
3.
a.
OECD Environment Division for statistical analysis of patent data
b.
Business organizations for survey of licensing practices: ICC, WBCSD
and LESI
Outputs:
a.
Patent landscape of clean energy generation technologies
b. Survey of licensing practices in clean energy technologies
c.
New patent classification for energy generation technologies
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Relative growth rate for selected clean energy technologies
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Patenting trends between countries: wind energy
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Licensing Survey in Clean Energy Technologies
•
Part A: General questions
–
Proportion of CET-related patents
–
Importance and trends in in- and out-licensing activities
–
Collaborative IP mechanisms, importance for overall business
strategy
•
Part B: Developing countries (DCs)
–
Licensing activities in DCs? Which ones?
–
Factors affecting licensing agreements in DCs?
–
Flexibility of licensing terms in DCs?
•
Part C: General statistics
–
Type of organization, country of headquarter, size, CET fields, R&D
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Limited Licensing towards developing
'To what extent has your organisation entered licensing agreements that involve
licensees (which are not majority-controlled subsidiaries) based in developing
countries in the last three years?'
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BRIC countries important for licensing
With which countries has your organisation been most involved in licensing or
other commercialization activities of intellectual property in the field of CETs
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More lenient licensing terms towards developing countgries
'When entering into an out-license agreement wth parties that are based in
developing countries, to what extent do the monetary terms of your license reflect
your willingness to introduce greater lenience due to differences in the purchasing
power of the parties?‘
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Factors affecting Licensing with developing countries
When your organisation is making a decision whether or not to enter into a
licensing or co-operative development agreement with a party in a developing
country, to what extent would the following factors positively affect your
assessment?
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IP, Innovation and Technology Transfer
IP
Green
Exchange
Open
Innovation Open
Innovation
Technology
Diffusion and
Transfer
Innovation
EcoPatent
Commons
Practical
Measures
Fast tracking
“green” patent
applications
IPC Green
Inventory
(WIPO)
High-Middle Income
Developing
Countries
LDCs
New clean
energy patent
classification
(EPO)
TRIPS Art 66.2
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Licensing
Greater regional and bilateral cooperation: the case of clean
energy
Open
Innovation
US China Clean Energy
Forum
EU-India Solar Energy
cooperation
US-India Clean Energy
Partnership (PACE)
IBSA
China-India Climate
Cooperation Accord
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From Rio (1992) to Rio (2012) : Conclusions
Continuity
•
•
Affordable access to Environmental Sound Technologies (ESTs)
remains a pressing global challenge
Debate about the role of intellectual property rights continues to be
divisive
and Change
•
•
•
•
Paradigm shift to ‘green’ innovation
A changing global landscape of technology and innovation
Greater availability of empirical evidence
Harnessing regional and bilateral cooperation
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Thank you
aabdellatif@ictsd.ch
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